A time for dance: ReUnion 2013

The dedication of a new home for the dance program, a celebration of the close of the "You are Union" campaign and the inaugural Alumnae Tea are among the highlights of ReUnion 2013.

More than 1,500 visitors will come to campus for the annual celebration of Union’s graduates, which begins Friday, May 31 and continues through Sunday, June 2.

"This is a great time to reacquaint yourself with old friends and share memories and stories about your time since you have left Union," said Rhonda Engvold, assistant director of Alumni Relations.

In addition to a number of special events, visitors will enjoy traditional favorites like the Alumni Parade (10:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday), fireworks show (10 p.m. Saturday) and Gala Dinner (6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday). There will also be presentations from notable alumni in a variety of fields.

Among the highlights:

Saturday at 12:30 p.m., the College will dedicate the Henle Dance Pavilion. Adjacent to Yulman Theater overlooking Jackson’s Garden, the 7,000-square-foot facility will be home for classes, rehearsals, workshops, performances and other events. The pavilion replaces the current 1,200-square foot studio in Visual Arts with a 2,200-square-foot dance studio and 1,000-square-foot lobby that will double as rehearsal space. It also will include a costume shop, faculty offices, meeting rooms and gallery. The lead gift comes from longtime College benefactor David L. Henle ’75 and his wife, Joan. Henle, the head of DLH Capital, a family investment firm, has been a Union Trustee since 2004.

Saturday at 9:15 p.m. in the Chester Arthur Courtyard, there will be a dessert reception open to all to help celebrate the "You are Union” campaign. The largest and most comprehensive fundraising campaign in the College's history, the campaign raised more than $258 million, topping its goal of $250 million. Of that, $40 million was designated for faculty support. On Friday at 1:30 p.m. in College Park Hall, a "Faculty Super Session" featuring lectures by Roger W. Hoerl, the Donald C. Brate ’45-Stanley G. Peschel ’52 assistant professor of Statistics; Peter Bedford, director of the Religious Studies Program and the John and Jane Wold Professor of Religious Studies; and Kristin Fox, director of Undergraduate Research and associate professor of Chemistry.

Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. in Abbe Hall will be the inaugural Women's Tea, where alumnae and friends are invited to "renew friendships, celebrate milestones, share experiences and foster new relationships."

In addition, Alumni Gold Medals are to be presented by the Alumni Council to Clifford Mastrangelo ’63, retired senior leader of Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages and PDC; David Breazzano ’78, Union trustee and president of DDJ Capital Management; and George Bain ’73, co-treasurer for the board of directors at Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company. John Garver, professor of geology, is to receive the Faculty Meritorious Service Award.